Electric switch



Nov. 8, 1927. V 1,648,022

J. LQFGREN ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Nov 2, .1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,Nov. 8, 192 7.

J. LOFGREN ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Nov. 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f 1% 7 r H N /V/] AV Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT ol-"rlcs.

Y JOHN LOFGREN, or cmcneo, ILLINOIS, assrenoa '10 RALCO manuraorunme oom- IPANY, or cnrcaoo, ILLINOIS, A conronarron or ILLINOIS.

- ELECTRIC SWITCH. Application fled November 2, 1925. Serial No. 68,142.HE|S

M invention relates to switches, especial.- ly o the type enclosed within a housmg or casin and of heavy construction so that 1t may is employed on locomotives and in other situations where the device w1ll be subjected to an unusual amount of vibration and to rough usage. The eneral ob ect of the inventlon is to rovi e a simple and practical switch havlng the character stics mentioned. Anotherobject is to provide a construction in which the chief operating elements of the switch are enclosed within a housing and. the operating handle is mounted on the housing cover, and the parts are so constructed that thehandle will connect with and disconnect from the switch operating part merely by placing or removing the cover. Another object is to make allowances for minor discrepancies of manufacture so that the switch handle will take hold of the rotor when the cover is applied, even though the parts are somewhat irregular in construction or position. Another obj set is to provide means whereby the stat on- 25 ary terminals may be grouped 1n various ways to produce different effects when the rotor is rotated. Still another object is to provide means for insuring good electric contact between the rotor and its supply conductor, and also to provide convenient means for holding the rotor contacts in proper alignment with the stationary terminals.

I obtain my objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete device'.l

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the hue 22 Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front view of the device with the housing cover removed for revealing the internal mechanism.

Figure 4 a sectional view on the line 4-4 Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the terminal base block.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the operating handle. I

Figure 7 is a. perspective view of the mean elements of the rotor. I

are located within a housing 10 provided g with a cover 12, which may be bolted or otherwise removably secured in place. Fastened within the housing by means of studs 14 or other appropriate means is a base Between block 16 of insulating material. the block and the housing is a plate 18, which is also of insulating material.

The block 16, which is shown in perspec-' tive in Figure 5, is here shown to be circular in outline and provided with a number 7 of notches 20 in its front face adjacent to the circumference. At the center it has an aperture 22, The notches 20 form seats for stationary terminals 24 which are provided with binding posts 26. These terminals form the stationary contacts and project radially inward towards the axis of the block. In the drawings I have shown three stationary terminals but more than three notches, the idea being to provide for an increased number of terminals or a different grouping thereof should occasion require.

A terminal bar 28 of conductive material is fastened by screws 30 or otherwise to base block 16 in the manner best shown in F igures 2, 3 and 4. This bar is provided with a binding post 32 at one end and with an aperture 34 at the other end, as shown in perspective in Figure 8. It is arranged radially with reference to the base block and seats within a channel 36 formed therein as best shown in Figure 5.

Adjacent to the bar 28 is a leaf spring 38 which is secured at the outer end to the front of the bar and at the inner end has 95.

an aperture 40 coaxial with the aperture 34 in bar 28. This spring presses forward against one of the plates 50, hereinafter mentioned, and serves the double purpose of carrying current to it from bar 28 and 10c suEo also of preventing rattling of the parts. The apertures 34 and 40 are for accommodating a stud 42 which is journaled in bar 28 and has a stop pin 44 for abutting the rear surface of bar 28 and thus limiting the distance to which the stud may be forced forward toward the front of the device. The amount ofrotationof the stud is limited by a pin 46 fastened to bar 28 and projecting backwards therefrom into the path of pin 44. Thus the stud may be rotated back and forth but cannot revolve more than about 180 degrees, as pin 46 projects in both directions from the stud. Pin 44 also holds the rotor in place when the cover is removed.

Stud 42 is shouldered and riveted at the forward end in such manner as to firmly hold a disc 48 in the manner best shown in Figure 2. Riveted to this disc, one on each side thereof, are plates 50 having sectors 52 arranged in two pairs and'projecting approximately inopposite directions from the disc. These sectors form jaws or contacts for engaging between them the terminals 24, 25, 27 It will be evident that, these sectors or contacts 52 are rotatable and constitute two of the principal portions of the rotary element of the switch or rotor.

Projecting forward from the disc 48 and plates 50 are two shouldered pins '54 which serve to hold an insulating block 56 in the manner best shown in Figure 2. The block is held loosely so that it may shift its position to a very slight extent to take care-of inaccuracies of manufacture and to facilitate engagement with the operating shaft 58. Said shaft is journaled in the front cover 12 and is bifurcated at its inner end to fit over block 56. By preference the centralslot 60 of the shaft is somewhat wider than block 56 so that the block may readily enter the slot when the cover is being applied.

Extending radially from the outer end of the shaft is an operating handle 62 which is of ample proportions and rugged so that it may withstand a considerable amount of abuse. On the inner side it has a springpressed ball 64 adapted to travel over a quadrant 66 having notches 68 for yieldingly holding the arm 62 in various positions.

Heavy lugs 70 are cast integral with the cover 12 at the ends of the quadrant for limiting the swing of the operating handle. These form positive, rugged stops for lim-' iting the angular movement of the handle.

In practice, when the base block 16, stationary terminals 24, and the rotor are mounted within the housing 10, as illustrated, the operating handle 62 is brought into and out of engagement with the block ,56 of the rotor by merely applying the cover 12 to the housing and rotating the arm to such position as to fit over block 56. The

lotted shaft 60 may be regarded as a clutch which is detachable from the rotor by moving it away in, an axial direction. This forms a practical expedient which simplifies manufacture as well as simplifying the operation. By removing the cover and attached handle the operating parts of the switch are completely exposed.

To operate, the handle 62 is rotated in onedirection or the other. When used as a locomotive headlight the contacts 52 of the rotor and the terminals 24, 25, 27 will usually be so arranged that when the handle is in central position as shownin Figure 1 the contacts 52 will be out of engagement with any of the terminals, and both locomotive headlights will be off. By rotating the handle to the next notch at the right the front I headlight will be dim, and by rotating the handle to the extreme right the front headlight will receive full voltage. By rotating the handle to the left of central position the rear headlight will be controlled in the same manner.- Thus the switch gives the loc0motive en ineer full control of both headlights. It Wlll be understood that my device is notlimited for use as a locomotive headlight switch. The base block 16, being provided with a considerable number of notches 20, is of course capable of supporting an equal number of stationary terminals 24. The consequence is that by altering the number and arrangement of terminals 24 and contacts 52 various arrangements of circuits may be provided for.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

1. A switch having a stationary terminal, a rotary switch blade-for engaging and disengaging it, a stud on which said blade is .a spring pressing against the switch blade in an axial direction for preventing rattling, and a stop pin projecting from the side of the stud for serving the dual urpose of limiting the axial movement of the stud under the pressure of the spring and for limiting the angular movement of the stud.

3. A switch having stationary terminals adapted to be variously grouped, a rotary switch element for engaging said terminals} a base on which 'the terminals are mounted, a spring pressing against the switch element for energizin it and preventing rattling, an insulating bl ock for rotating the switch element, a handle fitting over the block for engaging and rotating 1t, a pin passing ra- 5 dially through the stud in both directions, and a stationary stop adapted to be engaged b said pin for limiting the rotation of the block to less than 180 degrees, to establish the position which the block must occupy to be engaged by the handle, said pin also limiting the distance to which the stud may be moved axially under the force of the spring.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JOHN LOFGREN. 

